Crown Heights Woman Killed By Hit-And-Run Driver Along Eastern Parkway on Christmas Day

(New York, NY)— On Christmas morning, 38-year-old Donna Fountain lost her life after being struck down by a hit-and-run driver on Eastern Parkway near Troy Avenue. The accident occurred around 7:30AM on December 25, 2011. Ms. Fountain and her young son were on their way home following work.

The car that hit Ms. Fountain was grey. Investigators are currently reviewing traffic camera footage to uncover information about the vehicle. Witnesses have reported that the accident may have been related to illegal street-racing nearby.

Ms. Fountain was a home healthcare aid with Partners in Care, as well as the mother to an eight-year-old boy, Elijah. Officials at the scene discovered a list entitled “My Dreams” which included such personal goals as—‘find a great job, buy a house, start a sanctuary for gay and lesbian teens, marry the woman of [Ms. Fountain’s] dreams, and watch [Elijah] graduate from college’.

“To experience such a tragic loss during the Holiday season is devastating,” said Council Member Letitia James. “My heart goes out to the Fountain family and especially young Elijah. I hope the driver(s) think about the family, and comes forward to bring them some closure at this difficult time.”

In early 2011, Tri-State Transportation Campaign (a region-wide advocacy group) found Eastern Parkway to be one of the City’s most dangerous streets for pedestrians— with five fatalities reported at the time of the study. Council Member Letitia James recently requested that the NYC Department of Transportation complete a study to determine the feasibility of a slow zone along Eastern Parkway.

1 comment:

I appreciate CM James expressing her concern over this incident, but I do wish she had much more FORCEFUL words for the crime. She says "I hope the driver(s) think about the family, and comes forward." That should be a MINIMUM. But let's say they do come forward... will they get a slap on the wrist, temporarily losing a license, or will they have severe consequences for this horrific loss of life?

Just six days ago I emailed her and asked in 2012 that she focus on Traffic Justice because events like this one are all too common. Her response was this "I promise to focus on traffic justice in the new year."

I appreciate that thought, but now she's been given a golden opportunity to stand up for pedestrians citywide. She should condemn the NYC car culture and inadequate law enforcement that allows incidents like this to happen every week.